By Heather Anderson
TOWER OF LONDON (IRE) (c, 4, Galileo {Ire}-Dialafara {Fr}, by Anabaa) gave the Coolmore partners a dramatic, last stride victory under a quality Ryan Moore ride in the 3000-metre $2.5-million G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday. It was Moore's 18th ride and first win at the fledgling meeting, and trainer Aidan O'Brien's third runner and first winner, as well. Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who finished second in the 2023 edition, filled that spot again, a head off of the winner.
The listed winner blew the break, and Moore steered him over to the fence, where they loitered for the majority of the race as Libyan Glass (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) blitzed up to the head of affairs while pressed by Iron Barows (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and Echt (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) perched in third.
The strung-out field began to bunch midway on the last of three turns. Right about the time Iron Barows tackled his countrymate in earnest 500 metres from home, Moore and Tower Of London began to inch around and in between runners with their bid, at times in desperate need of gaps. Luckily, the pair found racing room and, after moving out for clear sailing in the lane, were flying into the final furlong with a full head of steam and dead aim on Enemy closer to the rail, who had capitalised once the Japanese pacesetters threw in the towel.
G2 Yorkshire Cup S. hero Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) was also coming with a strong run and he rushed up to Enemy's throat latch. That duo seemed to have the race at their mercy for a second or two, before Tower Of London, responding gallantly to Moore's efforts, unleashed a determined rally. In the final metres of the race, it was too close to call if Tower Of London would get there, but Moore was able to eke out that extra bit of effort from his mount, who pipped Enemy by a head on the line. Giavellotto was a game third. Of the Japanese, the best finish was by Echt in fifth.
“He's a lightly raced horse,” said Moore afterwards. “He's from a very good family, a brother to Capri and the family have done well for the yard. He'd been working well, they always held him in high regard. We had to be patient and a few horses were dropping back. We eventually got out and he got there at the end. Today was the first time he was able to run on a flat track on quick ground and Aidan has had a lot of faith.”
“In fairness to Aidan, he was quite confident coming out here and Ryan said he was going to take his time,” said MV Magnier. “He's pretty cool, relaxed and nothing fazes him. I haven't spoken to Aidan yet but I'd say the chances are he could go for [G2] Dubai Gold Cup but it'll be up to Aidan and the lads. I've been here for the past few days, it's remarkable the welcome we've got and the people have been brilliant.”
A maiden winner at first asking at two, the full-brother to staying star and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won a pair of handicaps at three, and was also second in the G3 Bahrain Trophy S. later in the season. Only fourth in the St Leger at Doncaster in September, he was a distant ninth in the Irish Cesarewitch H. at the end of a the season. Saturday's race was his 4-year-old bow.
Pedigree Notes
Coolmore's much missed Galileo is now the sire of 252 group/graded winners (373 stakes winners) internationally with the victory of Tower Of London. A dozen of Galileo's stakes winners are out of Anabaa mares, the best of them including the previously mentioned Capri, as well as three-time Group 1 winner Lush Lashes (GB), GI Belmont Derby/GI Sword Dancer S. winner Bolshoi Ballet (Ire), and Stone Age (Ire), who has been placed thrice at Group 1/I level.
Mated exclusively with Galileo for her first nine foals, the winning Dialafara foaled seven winners in that bunch, with G3 Loughbrown S. winner Cypress Creek (Ire) and G3 Stanerra S. heroine Passion (Ire) joining Capri and Tower Of London as group winners. Passion was also third in the G1 Irish Oaks and the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. Dialafara's latest produce is a colt by Camelot (GB), who was born in 2022.
Second dam Diamilina (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) won two group races in France, and was also second in the G1 Prix Vermeille. She is a half-sister to the sire Diamond Green (Fr) (Green Desert), a winner of the G3 Prix La Rochette, and second in the G1 French 2000 Guineas among three Group 1 podiums. G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer (Ire) (Halling) is also kin to Tower Of London.
Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
LONGINES RED SEA TURF H.-G3, $2,500,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-24, NH4yo/up, SH3yo/up, 3000mT, 3:04.43, gd.
1–TOWER OF LONDON (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Dialafara (Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Diamilina (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Diamonaka (Fr), by Akarad (Fr)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor &
Westerberg; B-Lynch Bages, Ltd. (Ire) & Camas Park Stud;
T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore; $1,500,000. Lifetime Record:
SW-Ire, GSP-Eng, 9-4-1-0, $1,708,396. *Full to Capri (Ire)
(Galileo {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Euro at 14f+, Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 11-14f &
14f+, Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Eng at 14f+,
G1SW-Ire & Eng, G1SP-Fr, $2,067,692; Cypress Creek (Ire)
(Galileo {Ire}), GSW-Ire & GSP-Eng, $102,373; and Passion (Ire)
(Galileo {Ire}), GSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $200,604. Werk
Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree
or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Enemy (GB), 131, g, 7, Muhaarar (GB)–Prudenzia (Ire), by
Dansili (GB). (€420,000 Ylg '18 ARQAUG; €92,000 HRA '21
ARQNOV). O-Tracey Bell & Caroline Lyons; B-Ecurie des
Monceaux & Skymarc Farm, Inc. (GB); T-Ian Williams; J-Richard
Kingscote; $500,000.
3–Giavellotto (Ire), 136, h, 5, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Gerika (Fr),
by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Societa la Tesa, Ltd. (Ire); T-M. Botti;
J-Oisin Murphy; $250,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, 4 1/4.
Also Ran: Al Nayyir (GB), Echt (Jpn), First Minister (Ire), Big Call, Pin Your Hopes (Ire), Breakup (Jpn), Libyan Glass (Jpn), Diva Donna (Fr), Iron Barows (Jpn), Roberto Escobarr (Ire), Skazino (Fr). Click for the JCSA chart (R8) and video.
Tower Of London gets there….just!!
Aidan O'Brien's charge wins the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap under Ryan Moore, although it wasn't plain sailing! 😲
A brilliant run from Enemy, too 👏#TheSaudiCup🏆 | #サウジカップ @netkeiba | @JRAVAN_info | @Ballydoyle | @thesaudicup pic.twitter.com/RIqQOsXHIf
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 24, 2024
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
